The Five of Ilo
by DoktorSyko
Summary: Many years have passed since the Clone Wars ravaged the stars. On the small planet of Ilo, the native Ipo still tell the epic story of their heroes, The Five who fought to free their planet from the evil Separatists. This is that story.
1. Legends

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. . .

Following the devastation of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Order was all but extinct. All that remained of their legacy were the tales told of their great exploits throughout the galaxy. On the small planet of Ilo, the Elder gathers his village at the Temple of Five to share one such tale.

"Come my children. For today we remember the Five who fought so bravely to protect our world from the darkness," said the Elder from the temple grounds. Standing in the middle of a great field of fire grass, the small temple rose out of the ground. It was made of five stone columns and a single raised platform, in the middle of which stood a single stone. Approaching the center platform, the Elder turned to the audience. "Here we all stand in the Temple of Five, built by our fathers to honor the heroes of Ilo." The Elder turned and placed his hand on the stone. A bright light began to flow from stone and strange ghost-like images appeared as if out of air. "The Memory has begun," said the crowd as the images of five strange shadows appeared upon the temple platform. "Let us begin."

"Long ago, before the Empire, before the Darkness came to power, there was the Republic. It was a great time for our galaxy in which we all lived in peace and happiness. Then came the Separatists. Controlled by the Darkness, they sought war upon us all. Far and wide, their armies of metal marched across the stars, destroying all in their path and forcing many to join their cause. Soon, the Darkness cast its shade over the skies of Ilo. To many, hope was forgotten. Their droid armies numbered in the thousands and their leader, Boz Elsya was ruthless in her campaign to capture our people." As the Elder spoke, images arose from the Memory. Thousands of skinny droids clanked throughout the crowd. Children screamed as the ghosts passed through them, and high above them, an image of a strange woman with gray, wrinkly skin and eyes that glowed an eerie yellow laughed so sinister that it chilled the air. "Do not fear my children. Hope was forgotten, but not lost. For the Republic was guarded by Light. They were known as the Jedi Order, great defenders of peace and justice. It was the Jedi that stood against the Darkness along side their clone armies and fought for the good of the Republic." Images of great starships filled the sky, men clad in white armor marched through the fire grass, and odd little droids on three legs rolled about. "Followers of the light, they were. Running head first into to battle with their swords a blaze, they held the Darkness at bay. And as the Darkness descended upon our world, it was not long before they arrived. The Five.

The Elder's words echoed across the hills of the Great Fire Plains. Behind him the shadows began to stir at the mention of the Five. Slowly, they stepped forward into the light, their features now shown with great brilliance. There they stood at the edge of the platform, grand paladins of the galaxy, saviors of freedom, Jedi of the Republic. In the center stood the tallest of them, a man with a black vest and pants, under which he wore a white robe. His face and hair were darker than the others, and his eyes shone a piercing black, but upon which contrasted a smile ever so calm and friendly. "This, my children, is the Jedi Master Gabrall Zhantos, a master of the art of combat and the unwavering smile. A man of great honor and kindness he was. Everywhere he went he worked to ensure the happiness of others. In battle though, there were none who could compare to the art that he created. Yet even in battle, he would show great kindness and remorse to his opponents. Never once did his smile fade, nor shall it ever will. Now, beside him stands his padawan." The Elder points to a slightly shorter man to the left of Master Gabrall. The young man had delicate features to his face and his hair was short with a long braid descending from the left side of his head. His build was smaller than Gabrall's and he wore a brown robe more fitting of a Jedi. "His name was Mathan Gu-Hit. Though nearly the same age as his master, he was merely a padawan for he was discovered late in life. Brought to the Jedi academy, he became fast friends with his future master and when his friend became a Master, Gabrall requested that Mathan become his padawan. For even though Mathan was sometimes shy and uncertain about his place amongst the Jedi, Gabrall saw within him great potential in the Force."

The Elder then proceeded to the two women on the right of Mathan. One was dressed in a beautiful purple garment that hung to the ground and her brown hair curled in an elegant style. Her face was calm yet stern. The other was dressed in more traditional Jedi robes. Her face appeared more carefree with her gentle smile and her black hair hanging straight to her shoulders. "Now these two women were more than they appeared. Separately, they were powerful Knights, each with their own specialty. But together they were an unstoppable force on the battlefield, complimenting each other perfectly and moving completely in sync. Jedi Knights Melandi Tolome and Gadina Kiim. Melandi was a member of the Jedi Healers. She was a gifted healer as a well a master of telekinesis. Gadina was a soft-spoken Jedi. A master of diplomacy, she was well versed in etiquette and politics, but she was also gifted in the Jedi art of mind altering abilities, a talented student of the Jedi Mind trick. Apart they were strong, but together they had perfected the Jedi Force Meld, the ability to act as one. For with them, two heads were truly better than one." The Elder laughed. He paused for a moment as he stared upon the final image. A young woman dressed in a brown shirt, black pants, and a large cloak that dragged along the bottom. Her hood concealed part of her face, but what could be seen were her long, curly brown hair and the sadness and fear hidden behind her light and delicate features. "And this, my children, is Cath Lunastar. She was a talented young Jedi who had just recently been assigned to Jedi Melandi as her first padawan. New to the battlefield, she was not yet prepared for the scars of the Clone Wars. These, my children of Ilo, are the Five, the great heroes who gave their lives to protect ours! Today we honor them, by retelling their story of honor and sacrifice." The Elder projected his voice toward the crowd. The great hills echoing and enhancing it. He turned again to the Memory and placed another smaller stone on top of it. As he did, the images began to move once more. The battle fought amongst the Great Fire Plains of Ilo was about to be fought once more.

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	2. Ready Assault

The Five of Ilo, Part 2: Ready Assault

On the Great Fire Plains of Ilo, all was peaceful. The sun's light shone bright in the sky and its rays reflected on the silvery grass making the expanse appear as if on fire. A light breeze swept the ground and fanned the flames. All around the sounds of nature were all that could be heard, a beautiful day by any standard.

Nearby, the city of Dastra could be seen with its odd, twisting buildings rising into the skyline, their sapphire colored walls glowing in the sun. Built in a unique architectural style, the city lacked any corners or straight lines for all its streets and walkways curved and twisted in beautiful patterns. At the center of Dastra stood the Hall of Inspiration, a magnificent domed building with brilliant crystal structures that twisted and reached into the sky. Truly it was a site to behold.

Within the city, the native Ipo lived in relative peace. Human in appearance, they had dark skin that contrasted heavily with their white hair. Yet, their most striking feature was their eyes. In light they were white and produced a blind stare, but at night, they glowed a beautiful icy blue. Spiritual by nature, they were rarely violent and focused much of their culture on the refinement of the arts, with their finest works known to only the most exclusive of circles and art collectors in the galaxy. Because of their lifestyle, it was quite rare to see an Ipo away from Ilo and even rarer for the Ipo to become involved in the matters of other worlds. It was due to this isolation from most of the galaxy, that they had remained hidden and unscathed by the Clone Wars for so long. That soon was about to change. For high above the planet's surface, an evil prepares for invasion.

"Are the assault droids ready yet!" A large, heavy-set female Neimoidian screamed from the center of the command deck of the _Voluptuous_. "I want to be on the planet's surface now!" Her large hands slammed onto the console in front of her sending battle droids scurrying into all directions. A single droid turned to face her and spoke, "But mistress, the preparations to the assault ships are not yet complete. We were not prepared to land on such short notice. Uh, why are we landing on this planet anyway?"

"You dare to question my authority!" She pulls out a blaster from under her large robes with surprising speed and points it at the droid's head. "I should blow you up for such insolence, you stupid piece of metal! When I say that I want to invade a planet, you . . . do it . . . and get it done . . . immediately!" She pauses to breathe. "Now see what you have done to me." The large Neimoidian began to breathe heavily and falls to her chair. "Refreshments! Now!" Two protocol droids emerged from the blast doors and tended to her.

"Calm down now, my dear. You are Boz Elysa of the Trade Federation. You have a dignity to uphold," said a voice from the corner of the deck. "Ah. Foontrick Doon. Forgive me. How embarrassing. I didn't know you were awake yet," Boz Elysa's mannerisms changed to that of a flirtatious girl. "These battle droids just get me so irritated sometimes," she said as she flopped her large body around her seat to face the Sy Myrthian in the corner.

"It is quite alright," said Foontrick as he slugged into the center of the room. A member of a Sy Myrthian race, Foontrick's round body rested on a single large tail. His entire body was covered in a short layer of turquoise fur that he covered with large golden robes that hung over his belly and tail. The Sy Myrthian's long head extended back into a thick crest. His face seemed scrunched with his large, flat nose and beady orange eyes that seemed to get more confused as his large body continued to inch toward to the navi-computer. Foontrick gazed upon the console and then turned to face Boz. "Now, my dear, please tell me what is going on. Why have we pulled out of hyperspace? These coordinates are nowhere near our course and this planet does not look like Dac. Were we not supposed to be meeting the fleet?" Boz's large yellow eyes looked down for a second and then looked up to meet with Foontrick's gaze. "We are . . . and we will. Just after this quick stop on this little planet."

"A quick stop? For what?" asked Foontrick as he turned to face the planet ahead of them. "That is the planet Ilo. The home of some of the greatest artists in the entire galaxy! If I were to capture this planet, they would all belong to me!" laughed Boz Elysa. Foontrick closed his eyes and shook his head from side to side. "And, let me guess, you are going to take those artists, make them create works of glorious art for you, sell them to become incredibly rich, and then use that money to take control of the Trade Federation." An eerie smile overtook Boz Elysa's wrinkly face. "Your reputation as a Neimoidian precedes you, my dear. Even in time of war, your race continues to only think of schemes to increase your own power and wealth."

"How dare you! This is my ship! These are my droids! I shall do with them as I please," screamed Boz. She stared angrily at the alien in front of her. Her mind raced with thoughts, but then her face calmed and an eerie smile appeared over her wrinkled face. Boz began to waddle toward Foontrick, her large hips attempting to sway from side to side. She rested her corpulent form on the Foontrick's back and raised her hand to stroke his face. "Think about it. You're a man of refinement. If this plan of mine succeeds, think of how many credits we would have," She pulled herself closer and began to whisper into Foontrick's ear, "The highest buildings in all of Coruscant would be yours. You could have hundreds of real Ipoan masterpieces decorating your walls. All around, gorgeous Twi'lek girls dressed in the most beautiful and expensive designer gowns in the whole galaxy. It could all be yours. You would be richer than all the Hutts combined."

"And for you?" asked Foontrick.

"Well, it would be just like you said. There are a lot of people out there who would pay a lot of credits for even a single piece of Ipoan art," Boz flopped around and waddled back to her seat. Foontrick turned head his away from the Neimoidian.

"Disgraceful. This plan of yours is incredibly stupid and pathetic. It would be a complete waste of our time and efforts, and the _Voluptuous_ is not prepared for such an assault. I shall take no part in it," said Foontrick as he turned to return to his quarters.

Boz Elysa took no notice to her partner's rant as he left the room, for her mind was consumed with thoughts of wealth and glory. Soon she would be Viceroy of the Trade Federation. It's vast wealth at her disposal to do with as she pleased. She began to laugh maniacally.

"Uh. Mistress." Her moment broken, she turned angrily to the droid, "What!"

"The preparations are done mistress. We can land as soon as you are ready."

"I was ready ages ago!"

"Uh. So does that mean we should land?" said a battle droid to another.

BOOM! The droid's head exploded in a large flash and was sent flying across the command deck. As the smoke cleared, Boz Elysa stood breathing heavily once again in the center with her blaster drawn. "I want this ship landed now!"

"Roger, roger."


	3. Eyes in the Night

The Five of Ilo, part 3: Eyes in the Night

Night had fallen on the planet's surface. The air was cool and Dastra glowed a soft blue as the moon reflected off the buildings. Unaware of the approaching invasion, the Ipo, having evolved past the need for sleep, continued on with their nightly rituals within the city. The streets of Dastra were filled with people, their eyes glowing like brilliant sapphire stars. All around, the sounds of writers and poets musing about their latest works could be heard. To the east, the air was filled with the melodies and lyrics of musicians practicing and sharing their gift. In the center of the city, the Hall of Inspiration was filled with young students meditating in silence amongst the crystal gardens, all waiting for Inspiration to find them and reveal to them the path by which they would express and translate the it's whispers. In the most northern part of the city, a large crowd had gathered in the Hall of Seven Winds, a grand white stone building that was built in such a way that it sung whenever the winds blew. The Hall had served as a grand stage for the best of Ilo's artists. There they could reveal what Inspiration had whispered to them in a magnificent display of beauty. On this night, two of Ilo's greatest were about to premiere their latest masterpiece.

Barely at the age of 16 standard years, Chara Lenne and Alai Yssa, were considered, by most, as prodigies even by Ipo standards. Twins sisters born to the family of the Elders, it was said that they had heard the whispers of Inspiration at the age of four, with most children first hearing it for the first time at thirteen. Finding their paths quickly, Chara Lenne became a master of the grand organ, while Alai Yssa took to creating holo images. Together, they combined their talents to create the greatest displays ever scene on Ilo.

As the Hall filled with people, the lights darkened and the ceiling opened to reveal the night sky. Above the stars shined with brilliance and below the sea of blue eyes twinkled beautifully. A single spotlight appeared on the stage and in the middle stood the twins. The crowd before them silenced and focused their attention forward. Together they looked up and smiled at the audience. Their appearances were small and gentle with their hair in short styles and both dressed in simple dresses. In unison they bowed their heads slightly and turned to begin their performance. Alai Yssa stood on the left of the stage and moved toward a round crystal upon a pedestal. She positioned herself behind and placed both her hands upon it. A dim glow began to emanate from the center of the crystal. Alai Yssa turned to face her sister on the other side of the stage. There Chara Lenne stood on a raised circular platform. She raised her hands from her sides and held them in front of her. In flash of green light, the holo-keys appeared all around her. She played a single note. Behind her, the silver pipes of the grand organ produced a most glorious sound that filled the entire hall. She smiled and looked back at her sister to begin. Chara Lenne's hands began to move across the holo-keys. As she played the air filled with a haunting song. Soon a burst of light and color flowed from the crystal. Alai Yssa's eyes were closed as she moved her hands to the music. With each movement, a new light emerged from the crystal and filled the night sky. Soon the lights began to swirl and twist above the audience, Alai Yssa's hands guiding their flow. Beautifully they danced to the music of Chara Lenne, each beat of the beautiful melody perfectly visualized in the skies above. The audience stood in awe and wonder as the sight before them unfolded. Truly, these were the words of Inspiration.

As the twins played through the night, another sound began to fill the air. Within seconds, the sounds became a loud rumbling. The music stopped and lights vanished. The twins and the audience paused to listen to what was happening. The buildings shook as the strange rumbling broke the peaceful night. Elsewhere through out the city, the people ceased their doings and looked out toward the source of the sound. Above the Great Fire Plains, large shadows descended from the sky and approached the city. As they passed into the moonlight, their true forms were discovered. Large, menacing starships were flying toward Dastra. Around them, smaller, four-winged drop ships descended towards the plains. The rumbling from their engines shook the ground and reverberated throughout the city. As they touched down, they released their cargo. Tanks and hundreds of battle droids filled the previously open expanse. Above, the largest starship loomed ever closer to Dastra. The ship's long, oval shaped exterior revealed it as a _Munificent_-class star frigate. Its large shadow was soon cast over the small city. The Ipo stood in shock as they stared up towards the alien craft. From the side one could read the name of the ship. The _Voluptuous_ had arrived.

On board, Boz Elysa was laughing in excitement. Her invasion had finally begun and soon all the greatest artists in the galaxy would be hers. A nearby droid approached. "Mistress, we have arrived over the city of Dastra. Shall we continue?" Boz Elysa calmed herself and spoke to the droid. "Yes, we shall. Activate the projectors!" The battle droid turned and pressed a button on the console. The lights on the command deck dimmed and a small camera descended from the ceiling. Outside the ship, six large discs were launched and hovered nearby. They activated and the image of Boz Elysa's large form was now standing above the citizens below. The image smiled and spoke, "Citizens of Ilo. You are now under the jurisdiction of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. I, Boz Elysa of the Trade Federation, am now the overseer of this planet. You should all be grateful that you are now under my protection. I trust that there shall be no trouble while I am here. I don't like trouble, but if there is any, it shall be dealt with in a manner most fitting. For example." The images disappeared and the _Voluptuous_ rose higher into the sky. "Fire the main cannons on that hill near the city"

"Roger, roger," said the droids in unison.

"Let's show these artists that I am their new master," Boz Elysa sat and watched as the cannons fired. In a gigantic flash of fire and rock, the hill was no more and her point was made. Below, a wave of panic swept the city. Everywhere, the Ipo ran screaming into the safety of their homes. At the Hall of Seven Winds, the audience swarmed the doors. Amongst the panic, the twins were swept into the crowd and were pushed and shoved onto the floor. The air that was once filled with the sounds of music was now filled with the sounds of terror. Chara Lenne grabbed for her sister's hand. "What was that!" she screamed. "I have no idea, but we need to get out of here now," said Alai Yssa. Together they tried to leave, but the sheer number of the people around them would not allow an escape. A section of the crowd moved and started to rush towards the twins searching for a way out. The twins screamed as they were about to be trampled.

"Enough!" cried a thunderous voice from the stage. The crowd quickly calmed at the sound of the man's voice. There he stood upon the stage, a rather large Ipo dressed all in white, his stern eyes peering into the crowd. "Everyone. Please calm down. I want you all to leave the hall in a quick manner, return to your homes, and stay there. Everything will be fine. The rest of the Elders and I will figure this out." Within a few minutes, the hall emptied of most of the audience. All that remained were the twins, a few older men, and some women. The Elder on the stage jumped off and walked towards the twins. They both got up and ran to hug the man before them. "Father. We were so scared. What is going on? Why is there a starship here?" cried Alai Yssa. "I don't know, but I am sure we will find out soon enough. For now though, are you two alright?" asked the Elder.

"We are fine, father," said the twins.

"Good. I want you both at home right now. Go and stay safe." The Elder bent down to hug his daughters and sent them off. He turned to the other men and women still in the hall. One spoke, "Elder Mallis Kuul, those are Separatists starships. Do they not know that this is neutral space?"

"Gather the rest of the Elders, we must dis . . ." Elder Mallis Kuul was interrupted as Boz Elysa's voice once again filled the air.

"I trust you all understand what I am saying. Now I shall return tomorrow. Be good now my little artists," her voiced echoed and then faded into the night. The _Voluptuous_ turned and hovered back to the Great Fire Plains, on which its forces awaited for their command.

Dastra remained quiet, traumatized by the night's events. In the Hall of Inspiration, the twelve Elders gathered at the crystal gardens to discuss a plan of action.

"This is horrible. What are we going to do?" asked a female Elder. "We are artists. We cannot deal with a threat like this." A male Elder turned to face her, "I agree with Elder Nevea Lod. Ilo has no way to defend itself. How can we take action?" Elder Mallis Kuul stepped into the center of the Elders and began to speak, "My friends, please. We should try to contact our visitors before any course of action is taken. Z-3PO, if you will, please try and establish contact with the Separatists starship." A Jade colored protocol droid stepped into the circle with a small communication device. "I shall try at once, Elder."

Back on board the _Voluptuous_, Boz Elysa was feasting as a celebratory award for the start of her invasion. "Uh, Mistress. You seem to have a communication request from the city." She licked her purple Neimoidian lips and sighed. "Can you not see that I am trying to enjoy my snack!" she shouted at the droid.

"Yes Mistress, but I think it's important."

"Are you telling me what I think should be important?" She stood up slowly to face the droid.

"Yes Mistress. I mean no Mistress. I mean . . . Ahhhhh! Please don't blow me up!" The droid raised his thin metal arms up to his head to protect himself. Boz Elysa's face was that of annoyance. She waddled up to the droid and drove a fork straight into his head. Without even a second thought, Boz Elysa turned to the screen and asked for the droids to place the communication through. The poor droid pressed a button on the console and pitifully replied, "Roger, roger."

On the screen appeared the Elders, with Elder Mallis Kuul standing in the front. Boz Elysa started, "What is it that you want?"

"We the Elders of Dastra request to know why it is that you have come to our planet of Ilo? We are a small planet of artists and have nothing much of true value. Also, I am sure you know that this is neutral space."

"Really. Well I had no idea. I was just stopping in to . . . to add to my collection."

"Well if it is art that you want, we would gladly supply you with as much as you want as long as you agree to leave us in piece," Elder Mallis Kuul said in stern voice. His face was strong and his blue eyes stared boldly at the Neimoidian. She laughed at his words. "Some. Oh no my dear. I haven't come here for some of your art. I am actually here for you Ipo. That way, I can have as much of your art as I want." Her voice elevated and chilled the air.

Elder Nevea Lod exploded at the screen, "This is completely unacceptable! Under the Galactic Law, you have no jurisdiction . . ." Again, Boz Elysa interrupted, "Blah, blah blah. The Republic is not here. So as far as I am concerned, I can do whatever I please!

"But . . . you can't," she cried.

"Oh, but I can. Oh look, I seem to be losing you. Sorry. Oh, before we get cut off, I shall be arriving in your city tomorrow to . . . inspect it. Bye. End transmission."

The screen shut off. In the crystal gardens, the Elders stood in awe at the conversation that had just played out before them. Elder Nevea Lod fell to the ground crying, "We're doomed." Another male Elder, Elder Danis Kun, went to her side to comfort her. "We will be okay," he looked up at the rest of the Elders, "Now everyone, we must concentrate and listen for the whispers of Inspiration. It will guide us and show us the way. All at once, the Elders closed their eyes and began to listen. The air stood still in the garden. Within moments, the Elders were quickly stirred from their trance. They all looked at each other and then to Elder Mallis Kuul. He sighed with great grief as he spoke for the rest of the Elders. "I assume we all heard the same. Then we have no other choice. We must contact the Republic for help. We are defenseless, and they are our only hope in saving Ilo," he paused for a second and looked up to the stars, "This is a sad day for us. The Separatists have found Ilo and with them brought upon us . . . the Clone Wars."


	4. Whispers Heard

The Five of Ilo, Part 4: Whispers Heard

At the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the Council Chambers were dark. A faint blue light filled the room and the shadows of the twelve masters flickered on the walls. They were gathered in a large circle, with their faces poised and intent. In the center of the room stood the image of Elder Mallis Kuul. The Council had received the distress call from Ilo and was listening to the Elder's plea for help.

"Master Jedi. I am Elder Mallis Kuul of the planet Ilo. I send you this message with much reluctance, but our city of Dastra has come under the attack of a Separatist fleet. We are a peaceful people and have no ways of defense against such a force. Master Jedi, we had no intention of ever joining this war, but as the circumstances stand, Inspiration has guided us to take up arms. Jedi, we beg you. Please help us."

The message ended and the image of Mallis Kuul disappeared in a blue flash. The windows of the circular room opened and revealed the light of the Coruscanti sky. The Council sat quietly, their faces filled with sadness. The greatest of them was the first to break the silence.

"Terrible this is. Far the Clone Wars have spread, if to Ilo, the Separatists go." Master Yoda breathed a great sigh. Next to him, Master Mace Windu sat with his hands folded. He spoke softly, "This situation is troubling. There is no sense in this invasion. What would Dooku and Separatists gain by invading such a small planet?" Ki-Adi Mundi looked to Master Windu and responded, "Though this predicament does seem a bit off from normal Separatist actions, we cannot, in the mean while, ignore the Ipo's cry for help."

"Ignore the Ipo, we will not. To their side, Jedi, the Council will send," said Master Yoda. "But who, the question is. Thin our forces have become." The old Master was correct, for the Order's many knights had been spread far throughout the galaxy. As the Council contemplated on whom to send, Jedi Master Coleman Kcaj supplied an answer. "Masters, if I may. From what I last remember, Master Gabrall Zhantos and his padawan, Mathan Gu-Hit, have just recently returned from a mission to Empress Teta. I suggest that they be sent to Ilo with a small squad of troopers to assess and handle this situation." Master Yoda looked to the rest of the Council for their approval and spoke once more, "Then decided it is. Send Master Gabrall and his padawan, we will. To Ilo, they will go."

As the Council continued with their meeting, Gabrall and Mathan were recuperating from their recent mission at the T'Chuk Arena. The large, shell-shaped arena was filled with spectators of all species shouting wildly at the Chin-Bret game going on in the sandy field below. High above the stands, the two Jedi enjoyed the game from the comfort of the observation halls. Amongst them stood senators, officials, their families, and other Jedi, all enjoying the game as well. Master Gabrall was leaning heavily on the viewing window and cheering wildly as a team scored a goal. Next to him, Mathan Gu-Hit was jumping at the excitement of the game. Gabrall turned to his padawan, "It's amazing isn't it. Even in this time of war, the galaxy stills manages to find time for enjoyment. Truly does life continue." Mathan laughed and looked to his master, "And I'm glad that it does. Because after that last mission, its quite a relief to be able to . . ." He broke his sentence as he screamed at the game below.

As the game finished, the crowds began to empty the stadium. Outside, a senator's family waited amongst the crowd for their transport to arrive. Gabrall and Mathan stood nearby as they discussed the game. Unknown to them, a group of three human men were sneaking their way through the crowd towards the family. By their looks, one could tell that they were from the under city of Coruscant. Their pale skin and hard faces seemed odd among the rest of the crowd as they approached closer to the family. Standing outside the huddled family, a young girl played with her tauntaun doll. She was their target. The three men grew ever closer, their minds consumed with kidnapping the girl.

"Master."

"I sense it too," whispered Gabrall. The three men's thoughts had betrayed them and warned the Jedi of their plan. "Mathan, over there. Hurry!" shouted his master. The Jedi sprinted forward in an attempt to stop the kidnappers, but they had sensed it too late. One of the men had reached forward and grabbed the girl in his arms. She screamed to her family. All the attention in the area was now on the kidnappers. The girl's family was yelling at the kidnappers to let her go, her mother crying wildly for her daughter. The man holding the girl uttered their demands, "If any of you want this girl back. It'll take you one million credits." His voice was shaky and thick with a Coruscanti accent. "And just to make sure you know we're serious. Boys. Show 'em!" The men reached to their sides and drew something silvery from their belts. Green light emanated from their hands. They were holding lightsabers. The man holding the girl brought the saber to the girl's neck. She screamed in horror. Her family cried for the men to stop.

Upon seeing the lightsabers ignite in the men's hands, the Jedi knew the situation had grown even more dire. Mathan's exploded forward and seemed to disappear into thin air. In a second, he reappeared in front of one the men and punched him square in the face. Adding the Force to his punch, the man was sent flying a great distance. The other two stood dazed at what had just happened. The man holding the girl turned to the padawan, his face filled with anger. "Jedi! What are they doing here? Dav, we have to get out of here now! Distract him!" He ordered the other to attack Mathan. He swung forward with his green blade. A flash of light buzzed pass his face and was stopped by two silver lightsabers. Gabrall had blocked the attack. He stood in front of the man with his head down, his sabers held backwards in his hands. The Jedi master's face was smiling as he looked up at the man, "I don't think so." He swung both sabers upwards and in a single motion, sliced the other lightsaber in two. The man fell to the ground as he fainted.

The last man standing shook in his boots. Gabrall and Mathan turned to face him. The man's eyes filled with fear. He stepped back and brought the lightsaber closer to the girl's throat. Her tears glowed green from the light of the blade and sizzled as they fell on it. The man squeaked, "Don't any of you come any closer, or the girls dies!" Both Jedi raised their hands to ease the man. Gabrall tried to negotiate with the kidnapper, "Look man. Take it easy. This can all end right here and no one gets hurt." He looked at the other men on the floor, "At least any more than they already are. Now just let the girl go and you and your friends can leave without any hassle." The man screamed back at the Jedi, "You bloody Jedi ruined everything!" The intent to kill filled the man's head. "Mathan! Now!" yelled Master Gabrall. "I'm on it, Master." Mathan extended his right arm out and with the Force, lifted the man and the girl into the air. He then raised his left arm and pushed forward into the air. The kidnapper was blown back with tremendous force, while the girl hovered safely in place. The man was flung far into the street before landing hard on the ground. Mathan lowered the girl gently to her family. Her mother reached out and embraced her daughter. "Thank you," she cried as she looked at the two men before her. "Glad to help," said Mathan as he smiled back at the mother. His master was walking towards the man, who was beginning to get back up. He looked back and saw the Jedi approaching. With surprising speed, he was up and running to the safety of the city depths below. Gabrall turned and yelled to his padawan. "Mathan, we need to go now!" Mathan hunched down and sighed, "Did he have to run? I'm supposed to be on leave." The padawan looked to family. "If you could, please call the authorities to apprehend these men and tell them to follow our signal. We may need back up," he said as he started to run to Gabrall. As he caught up, he noticed that his master's face was in contemplation. "Master?" he asked. Gabrall answered, "We have to catch him. They had lightsabers and I want to find out where they got them."

"Yes, master," he said as he looked to Gabrall, "First to catch him gets 20 credits!" The Jedi master spoke sternly to his padawan, "Padawan! Gambling is not befitting a member of our order. Remember always your teachings." He paused and his signature smile appeared on his face. "But a small competition between friends never hurt anyone!" he yelled as he passed Mathan. "No Fair! Cheating is not very becoming of a Jedi master either!" Both men raced forward with incredible speed towards their target, which ran screaming down the crowded streets as he forced his way through.

Further and further the descended into the city depths. As they ran, Gabrall looked ahead and saw a chance to stop their chase. He reached his hand out and called out to the force. A large pile of metal from the building ahead fell onto the street and created a wall before them. The man was stopped in his path with nowhere left to run. In a desperate attempt, he turned to the Jedi and activated his green lightsaber. Even with the distance between them, the Jedi saw that this man had no knowledge with a saber. Sensing each other's thoughts, they realized this situation was over.

Without a word, Mathan blasted forward with a tremendous amount of speed. Master Gabrall stopped and activated one of his silver lightsabers. He stood ready, locking gazes with the man before him to prevent his escape. As Mathan dashed forward, the man swung with his lightsaber. Mathan sensed his opponent's movements. Reacting, he flipped high into the air over the man and activated his two blue shotos. Landing behind him, Mathan swung his arms around the man and knocked the lightsaber out of his hand. Spinning around, he then kicked the man to the ground and pointed both shotos to his face. As he lay on the ground, the man felt around for his fallen lightsaber. His head turned to the left and saw it, but as he reached for it, the saber lifted off the ground and flew to the hand of Master Gabrall. He shook his head and looked at their captured opponent. "I think I'll be taking this, thank you." The man looked back in anger, his eyes burning with hatred. Mathan looked to his master and laughed, "Why is it that where ever we go, trouble always seems to find us? Oh, and you owe me 20 credits." Gabrall smiled and answered back, "Tis the will of the force my friend and padawan and I shall pay you later." They both laughed. Mathan looked back at the man and calmly began to question him, "Now. Why were you three trying to kidnap the senator's daughter and where did you get the lightsabers?" The man starred back at the padawan and spoke of how they owed money to a spice dealer and thought that by kidnapping and ransoming a senator's daughter, they would have enough money to pay him back. "And the saber?" asked Mathan. His master interrupted, "Its not a lightsaber." He looked down at his hand as he inspected it. Mathan looked to his master, "If its not a lightsaber, then what is it?"

"Its a lightfoil, a cheap imitation made by Jedi wannabe nobles in the Tepani sector. Which means all we have here is another criminal," He paused as he looked down at the man, "Mathan, tie him. The authorities should be here soon to pick him up."

"Yes, master," said Mathan as he knelt down to tie the man's arms. Minutes later, the senatorial guards arrived to apprehend the man. They picked up the man and lead him to a small shuttle. As they passed, one thanked the two Jedi, "Thank you master Jedi. If you weren't there the senator's daughter surely would have been killed."

"Hey, what kind of Jedi would we be if we didn't," quipped Gabrall. Just then, his communicator sounded. He brought it up to his face and the blue image of Jedi Master Coleman Kcaj appeared. He spoke, "Greetings Master Zhantos. You and your padawan have been assigned a new mission to the Ilo system. A small Separatist force has recently invaded the planet and the Council has decided that both of you shall go to assess and handle the situation. A small squadron of clones shall accompany you and your padawan on this mission. You leave immediately. May the force be with you both." The hologram cut off. "From one adventure to the next. A Jedi's duty is never done," said Gabrall as he looked to his padawan. Mathan sighed and looked up into the sky, "I guess that means our leave is over, huh? Looks like its back to defending the galaxy once more."

"Yup!" shouted his master. He looked to the departing shuttle. Both men jumped into the air and landed in the shuttle. "Mind if you guys bring us back to the Jedi Temple," he asked. The pilot turned and gave them a thumbs up. The engines ignited and off they flew to the temple.

Upon arrival at the temple's launch bay, a small star cruiser was prepped for launch. Gabrall and Mathan boarded the ship and saw their squad of fifty clones ready and waiting. In the corner, a small astromech droid prepared the hyperdrive coordinates in the navi-computer. Gabrall placed his hand on the droid and spoke to it, "Hey R4-P24. You ready to go buddy." The small droid beeped back at his master. In the cockpit, the Jedi were met by their squad leader, Captain Hisoler. "Greetings General. How was your leave?" asked the captain. Mathan laughed, "Exciting as always, Hisoler."

"Good, Sir," said the clone, "Well, the ship is prepared and ready to leave upon your orders, sir." The Jedi took their seats and activated the engines. Mathan turned to Captain Hisoler, "I guess we're ready then Captain." The clone nodded his head and activated the computer. The ship launched forward and entered hyperspace towards the Ilo system. Help was on its way.


	5. Forward

The Five of Ilo, part 5: Forward

The sun began to rise over Dastra. The Great Fire Plains ignited in a brilliant orange glow as the silver stalks caught the morning light. Normally, the sounds of music coming from the city could be heard amongst the hills, but on this day, only the sound of metal could be heard.

On the plains, the Separatist force lay in wait. Their hundreds of droids walked the field. A dozen tanks hovered around the perimeter of their camp. In the center, a small base stood to house their leader and high above, three assault ships flew towards the city. On board, Boz Elysa prepared to inspect her new prize.

"Prepare to land the ship in the center of the city. I want to be able to a great impression to my new slaves," said Boz Elysa, "I want them to be inspired by my greatness so that their work can reflect it." The droids on the bridge all stood at their positions pushing buttons as they guided the ship to the Hall of Inspiration. On the ground, the citizens retreated into their homes out of fear, all except the Elders. They stood in front of the hall awaiting their invaders. Their faces were stern and gave no sign of fear. In the middle stood Elder Mallis Kuul. He spoke as he looked up at the descending ship, "When they arrive give no trouble. The safety of all of Ilo rests on our actions."

The ground below them began to rumble as the ship touched the ground. The engines buzzed softly as they powered down. With a loud hiss, the front platform began to lower. Standing there in all her girth was Boz Elysa dressed in a large golden robe. Her hands were behind her back as she stood glorious before her new subjects. She opened up her arms and began to waddle forward. "People of Ilo. I am Boz Elysa. You may call me . . ." She was interrupted by a droid that came running from the ship. "Mistress! Mistress!" The Neimoidian's face swelled with anger and her breathing became heavy. She turned, forced the droid to the ground, and with her immense weight, crushed the droids head. It screamed as its circuits were destroyed. She sighed and turned back to the Elders with her wicked grin. "Please excuse these stupid hunks of metal. Now where was I? Ah, yes. You may call me Mistress." Elder Mallis Kuul spoke, "I am Elder Mallis Kuul. Welcome to Dastra . . . Mistress."

"Hmm. Very good. Now. I would like to see my new city. I am very interested to see the art that my new subjects will be creating for me." Boz Elysa moved toward the Elders. "Can I trust that there will be no disturbance on my tour?"

Elder Mallis Kuul looked to the city as he answered, "You can trust there will be no trouble. We are a peaceful people and we would not want any harm to come onto the rest of us."

"And none shall as long as I get what I want," Boz began walking towards the entrance of the Hall of Inspiration. A beeping emitted from her robes. She snorted and reached for her small, circular communicator. "What is it!" she screamed as she activated it. A blue image came projected from her hand.

"Boz Elysa, my dear, is that any way to speak to a friend?" Foontrick Doon's hologram was speaking to Boz. She giggled and spoke, "Oh. Foontrick. I'm so sorry. I thought it was one of those useless droids of ours."

"Well maybe you should try and listen to them once in a while. For it seems we have a problem. Our ship's sensors have picked up a small Republic shuttle heading towards this system. I think your subjects may have called for help." The Sy Myrthian's crooked smile overtook his flat face. Boz Elysa's face became a dark green. She started to hyperventilate as her worries and anger grew. She faced the Elders and screamed at them. "You pathetic fools! You contacted the Republic! You've . . . ruined . . . everything!" The Elders stood firm. Elder Nevea Lod's white eyes met the glare of Boz. She cried and yelled at the woman, "Of course we did! How dare you come to our planet and think you can just . . . take control of our people. You ugly monster! We would never . . . ah . . ." The Elder fell silent. There was a large hole in the middle of her head. Her eyes closed and she fell forward to the ground. The other Elders stood frozen in shock. Boz Elysa stood with her blaster drawn. "You're all dead," she looked back at the communicator, "I'm returning to the base. Prepare the troops for attack. Will you be joining, Foontrick?"

"Of course. I would gladly participate in the eradication of another Republic world. It's a lot more fun than your earlier plan. I shall be seeing you soon." The communicator turned off. Boz stomped back to her ship. It's engines activated and took off to the Fire Plains. The Elders remained at the entrance to the Hall. Mallis Kuul held onto the body of Nevea Lod. The old Ipo looked up to the sky and closed his eyes. He listened to the wind for the whispers of Inspiration. The Elder spoke softly, "We must protect our people. Elder Saphira Dood, try to evacuate as many of the citizens as you can into the hill caverns. I will send an alert to the rest of the cities. If we cannot fight, then we must try and survive."

"What of the Republic shuttle?" asked one of the crying female Elders as she tended to her fallen friend.

Mallis Kuul opened his eyes and stared into the morning sky. "Let us pray that it is help. The Jedi are our only hope."

Meanwhile, the Jedi cruiser _Halbert_ made its way through hyperspace. The blue lights filled the cockpit. Jedi Master Gabrall Zhantos and his padawan, Mathan Gu-Hit, stood in the center of the shuttle as they discussed their plans with the clones. "Alright troops. Once we arrive on the planet's surface, Mathan and I will take care of the CIS forces. I want all troopers to enter the city and assist in safeguarding Dastra and it's citizens. We want this mission to go with as little violence as possible. Got it."

"Sir, yes, sir!" said the clones in unison.

A voice then came over the intercom, "General Zhantos. We need you in the cockpit immediately, sir."

"We'll be right there, Hisoler." The two Jedi left the room. Gabrall looked to his padawan and asked, "Something troubles you my friend?"

"Not really, Master. I'm just preparing myself for the mission," said Mathan. His face looked slightly worried. Gabrall raised an eyebrow. "Mathan. You continue to doubt if you are ready for such missions. You have been my padawan for a while now. You are more than prepared for this task. I mean, come on. Look at what just happened on Coruscant. You pretty much handled that entire situation yourself. Trust in yourself and in your abilities. How many times have we had this discussion?"

Mathan laughed. "You're right, Master."

"Soon you shall be a Knight my friend. You are ready, the timing is just not yet right." The door to the cockpit opened and the two men walked in. Captain Hisoler turned his head, "Sir. You might want to see this. R2-P24 just finished scanning the system. He says he's located one _Munificent_-class starship, three other cruisers, and signals from at least a few hundred activated clankers. General, do you think our squad can handle this?"

Gabrall looked out into the swirling blue lights of hyperspace. Mathan looked to his master and then to Hisoler. "He's in his thinking place again. How long this time?"

"Not that long, Mathan," said his master, "The situation is much more dire than the Council had thought. We're good, but we're not that good. We are going to need to call in reinforcements. P24, could you scan for the nearest Jedi cruiser and try to establish contact with them." The small droid beeped and began its search. Mathan moved over to the droid and activated its holo-projector. P24 then let out an alarm and projected a navigation chart with his findings.

"Master, it seems that the nearest Jedi is master Melandi Tolome, but it seems she is piloting a medical cruiser."

A large smile appeared on Gabrall's face. He turned to Mathan, "Melandi. The Force truly is remarkable. Don't look any further, Mathan. She will be all the help we need. Could you establish contact with her please, Hisoler?"

"Right away, General." The captain proceeded to call Melandi's cruiser. "Calling Jedi Knight Melandi Tolome. This is Captain Hisoler of the _Halbert_. Do you copy?" The screen activated and on it appeared the image of young dark skinned woman dressed in a purple gown with white armor attached. Her face was serious, yet soft as she stared through the screen. "This is Jedi Knight Melandi Tolome," said the Jedi in a soft voice.

"Mel. My old friend how are you?"

"Zhantos. It's been forever." Another Jedi dressed in typical fashion appeared behind Melandi and popped her head in front of the screen. She was smiling and waving as she yelled at the screen, "Gabrall! It's you." Melandi pushed her lightly out of the screen. "Was that Gadina?" asked Gabrall.

"Yes. She just accompanied me on our recent mission. We were providing medical aid and transporting some supplies to Telos," she paused for a moment, "I take it this call isn't about catching up is it?"

"Unfortunately, no. I have called to ask for your assistance my friends. My padawan and I are our to the Ilo system. They have just been invaded by CIS forces, but the threat is greater than we thought and we are not equipped to handle the situation on our own. Would you be able to lend us some of your help?"

Melandi answered quickly, "We'd be glad to. We will follow as soon as we can." She smiled and turned to a clone, "Captain. Locate their coordinates and plot a course. We have a new mission." The clone nodded. Melandi looked back at the screen. Gadina slid into view, "See you guys soon. May the force be with you." The communication cut off.

"Who were they, Master?" asked the young Jedi.

"Old friends. Old really good friends," the Jedi master smiled, "I think we should have more than enough to handle this now. Full speed ahead, Captain."

"Aye aye, sir."


	6. Jedi Landing

The Five of Ilo, part 6: Jedi Landing

The CIS base was chaos as it prepared for the return of Boz Elysa. All round, droids scattered and hid to avoid the wrath of the Neimoidian. Three green painted tactical droids stood in the center of the command room arguing about which should face Boz. "Whose idea was it to tell the Mistress that there was a Republic shuttle heading towards this planet," cried GEE-C43. "I think it was that droid," said GEE-C45 as he pointed to a battle droid standing near the counsel. The battle droid looked up and pointed at himself, "What? No . . . I didn't tell her . . . I don't even know what . . . ahhhhh!" The battle droid raised both his arms into the air and ran towards the doors.

The three tactical droids turned their heads as they followed the hysterical droid. GEE-C44 looked back and spoke, "Yeah. He is definitely the one. Get him."

"Roger, roger," replied C43 and C45. The two ran over to the battle droid and grabbed his arms and neck. The poor droid cried as he was dragged back to the center of the room, "I didn't do anything! Why? Why are you doing this? Wait. Why are you doing this? Shouldn't we have told the Mistress?"

"Factory model. You have no idea," said C44 as he stood in front of the battle droid. He brought his hand up to the battle droids photoreceptors. "This is my seventh replacement hand. The last one I lost because I informed the Mistress that we had run out of her snacks. So you see our predicament if she thinks it was us. Now if we tell her that it was some worthless battle droid, she will scrap him instead." The three droids laughed with their white photoreceptors starring down at the scared battle droid.

The laughter stopped as a loud banging could be heard from the hallway. The commotion in the command center ceased as all the droids stared at the doorway. The banging got louder as it the sound came closer to the door. C45 looked to a glass of water on the radar. The surface rippled with every thunderous bang. He turned to his brothers and whispered in his low electronic voice, "She's here." The battle droid on the ground began to short circuit from the sensory overload. His processor could not handle the stress. The tactical droids looked down as they heard a small pop and what sounded like flowing liquid. The battle droid had broken some tubing and was now leaking coolant on the floor. He screamed and reached for the blaster attached to the side of C43. With a loud explosion, the poor droid shot himself in the head and fell backwards in pieces.

The banging outside the command center had reached the blast doors. The room went silent. The doors hissed as they slid open to reveal Boz Elysa. Her face was dark green and scrunched with anger. She was breathing heavily as her lung pods contracted and expanded from stress. Her gaze burned as she glanced around the room. The Neimoidian let out a terrible bellow as she stomped into the room.

"You three! Prepare the troops for full assault! If I can't have Ilo, then certainly I will not let the fools in the Republic have it. Destroy the entire city, then move on to the next until the entire planet is turned into ash!" Boz moved her large self around the center console and saw the blasted droid on the ground. "What is this mess?" she asked angrily.

C45 looked to Boz and spoke, "We found out this is the battle droid that gave our location to Republic forces. Once we confronted him with the information he destroyed himself. I am sorry Mistress." C43 and C44 looked to each other and then to C45. Their brother had just made a bold move lying to Boz Elysa. They stared as they waited for her reaction. The Neimoidian's cheeks swelled and her fists were clenched tightly revealing the veins under her green skin. She exploded and let out a tremendous roar. "Scrap him! Now!"

"You heard the Mistress. Get rid of this scum," ordered C43. Two other battle droids came up and disposed of the body. The three tactical droids lined up next to Boz and spoke in unison, "What are your orders, Mistress?"

She whispered angrily, "Full assault."

"Roger, roger. All troops advance towards the city. All tanks begin firing once within range."

Outside, the Separatist force began to march towards Dastra. The many tanks hovered in the front lines and readied their guns. The Great Fire Plains shook under the great numbers of battle droids and super battle droids. In the distance, the city stood quiet. Its streets and buildings lay emptied for the Ipo had retreated into the hidden caverns amongst the hills. The tanks hovered into range.

"Commence attack! Fire!" With a loud bang, the tanks fired their ammo into the air. They streaked across the sky as they headed for the outer buildings of the city. As they hit, the blue buildings shattered in grand explosions of red and blue. The ground below quaked at the sheer force of the destruction. The caverns rocked and the people within them screamed in terror.

Back at the Separatist base, Boz Elysa grinned wickedly as they city glowed and burned before her. She ordered to her troops, "Destroy everything. Leave no trace of their existence." The sounds of destruction echoed across the Great Fire Plains. She seemed to enjoy the sound as it calmed her nerves. She called for C43 and ordered him to contact Foontrick aboard the _Voluptuous_. She turned to the communicator screen. It flashed on and on it appeared the flat face of Foontrick Doon.

"Boz Elysa. I see you have already begun the festivities planet side."

She replied, "I'm so sorry Foontrick. I just could not resist. I needed something to help calm me down."

"It's quite fine my dear. Soon enough the party shall take place in skies," he laughed. His multiple chins jiggling with every breath. An alarm sounded in the background of the ship. A battle droid appeared behind Foontrick and spoke, "Sir, the Republic shuttle should be exiting hyperspace soon. Should we ready the guns?"

"Do it. The moment that ship enters the system, blast them into oblivion." Foontrick turned back to the screen. "It seems that the party shall be starting much sooner that I expected. I will have to bid you farewell for now my dear."

"Do have fun Foontrick," said Boz Elysa. They joined each other in a laugh as the communication shut off. The battle droid standing behind Foontrick turned and whispered softly, "It totally creeps me out when they do that."

Meanwhile, the _Halbert_ continues to speed through hyperspace. On board, the Jedi and clones were preparing for combat. In the cockpit, Captain Hisoler was checking the systems of the ship. Master Gabrall was asleep in the corner snoring, while Mathan tinkered with R2-P24. Hisoler glanced over to a screen on his left. His voice was filled with worry as he spoke, "Uh, Commander Gu-Hit. Is the cloaking program offline? Cause the systems are saying that it's not working."

"What?" Mathan ran to the controls, "It should be have activated before we entered hyperspace." He stared at the screen. His face filled with worry. "Oh no. Master. Wake up! This is bad. They may have detected our ship already."

Gabrall was startled from his sleep and clumsily got up. "Wha . . . what's going on? Is there an emergency?" His hand instinctively reached for his lightsaber. Hisoler turned his chair and responded to Gabrall, "General, I think our ship's cloaking systems may have malfunctioned before we entered hyperspace. There may be a chance they have detected the _Halbert_." The Jedi Master yawned and lowered his head, "Maybe they haven't noticed yet. Our ship is a small shuttle, it might have slipped past their sensors."

"Well we are exiting hyperspace now. Looks like we're going to find out," replied Mathan. The blue lights of hyperspace began to disperse and the stars of the galaxy began to streak into view. In the view port, the _Voluptuous_ loomed over their ship. R2-P24 screamed as his sensors went off by the presence of the large ship. The three men stared at the oncoming ship and uttered the same word, "Poodoo."

Within moments, the Separatist ship began to unleash a flood of blaster fire onto the small Republic shuttle. The _Halbert_ was rocked as the bolts collided with the hull. Gabrall was knocked back into the blast doors. Hisoler grabbed the controls, "Taking evasive maneuvers! All power to forward shields!" Mathan replied as he sat down at the console, "I'm on it. P24, contact Master Melandi and warn her that they know we are here."

Gabrall got up and rubbed his head. "That's an understatement. Gonna go get the troopers ready," he turned to the intercom, "This is the General. The _Halbert_ has come under attack. All troopers prepare for emergency procedures." R2-P24 rolled over to Gabrall and beeped to get his attention. "Its Melandi. Put her through!" The screen flashed and Gadina appeared, "Gabrall. What's going on? Your emergency beacon has been activated."

Gabrall had to yell over the blaster fire, "What's going on is they know we're here. The ships under heavy fire from a Separatist cruiser. We're trying to outflank it, but I don't know if our ship can handle this much . . .," The _Halbert _was rocked heavily by an explosion on the starboard hull. The lights and screen flickered on and off in the cockpit. The broken sounds of Gadina's voice could be heard over the speakers. "Gabrall! Are . . . okay? Should . . . vide assist . . ." P24 rolled over to the interface to try and repair the connection. Mathan and Hisoler were still at the controls desperately trying to get the ship out of the line of fire. They were flying the ship wildly as the captain weaved in and out of oncoming fire. The small shuttle was incredibly close to the _Voluptuous, _their hulls nearly scraping each other's. Inside, the small astromech droid turned its domed towards its master and beeped that the connection was re-established. "Good job buddy!" shouted Gabrall congratulating the droid. Gadina's voice was now coming through clear.

"What happened? Do you need us to come get you guys?" asked Gadina. Her face was filled with worry over the safety of her friends. Gabrall turned to his padawan, "Mathan. Status report?" The padawan glanced over the status screens and then turned to reply to his master, "Most of our systems are still functional, but that explosion just wiped out our rear shield generator."

Gabrall returned his focus to the screen and gave Gadina a big smile. "Then I think we should be okay. For now, though, I see it best that you maintain your current course and meet us on the planet's surface. They still haven't detected you, so you should be safe while they are distracted with our ship. Soon as we land, I'll have P24 send you our coordinates so we can rendezvous." Gabrall could still see the worry in Gadina's eyes. "Don't worry. We'll be alright."

Gadina smiled back, "Fine, but if you let anything happen to P24, I will destroy you myself. Got it?"

"I got it. See you soon." The screen shut off and Gabrall moved over to the controls.

From the deck of the _Voluptuous_, Foontrick glared at the passing shuttle and laughed. It was nothing compared to the power of his ship. The Sy Myrthian ordered a command to the battle droids, "Maintain all starboard canons and continue the assault. These Republic dogs will not escape." A droid by the scanner screens turned to the commander, "Sir, the shuttle is flying too close to the ship. Our canons might not be in range." Foontrick slammed his fist on the console before him. His many rolls of fat jiggled in waves across his body. "Then send out the vulture droids! Tear that ship to pieces!"

The _Halbert_ was still flying really close to the cruiser to avoid the barrage of lasers. Mathan looked out through the window and saw a small hangar opening near them. From within, at least 50 vulture droids came pouring out into space and began to speed towards their shuttle. Mathan pointed and shouted to Gabrall, "Master look! Vulture droids emerging from that hangar." The droids' glowing red eyes could be easily seen through space. They approached the shuttle with great speed and began firing. The blasters hit the sides of the ship and rattled it even more.

"Oh man, this mission just keeps on getting better with every second," joked Gabrall, "Hisoler, do you think we can make it to the surface?"

The captain maintained his focus on piloting the ship. Mathan spoke instead, "Master, I don't think that we can make it into the atmosphere let alone land. With this much fire coming down on us, there is no way the _Halbert_ is going to hold together. Besides, we are way too close to the planet now. We won't be able to slow down especially with those things chasing us."

Gabrall started to laugh as he came up with an idea of escape. "Well in that case. Increase speed! Mathan, I'm going to need you to divert all remaining power to the forward shields. P24, when I give you the signal, overload the engines. Hisoler, stay right on course." The Jedi turned to the intercom, "Alright boys. This is your General speaking. We are going to be experiencing some turbulence so please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts. Thank you for flying with us and I hope you have a great day."

Mathan had a look of utter confusion on his face as he tried to comprehend what it was that his master was doing. He turned to Hisoler and the captain just shrugged his shoulders. He turned to question Gabrall, "Master. What are you planning?"

"I see it like this. If we are going to land, then lets make it a Jedi landing," replied Gabrall with a large grin on his face.

"Which means we're going to crash," remarked Hisoler sarcastically.

"Its the same thing," said Gabrall as he gave the clone a sharp glare. The Jedi then continued to lay out his plans, "Anyway. So with these droids on our tail and with the speed we are going at, there is no way we can slow down to make a normal landing, right? Well with my plan, we could overload the engines at the right moment to make it look like our ship is destroyed and then use the speed from explosion to pilot the ship into the atmosphere and land this thing as close to the city as we can. It's perfect." Hisoler, Mathan, and P24 were silent and just stared at the Jedi master. "Sir, that has to be the most reckless plan you have come up with yet . . . Let's do it." The three laughed and got to work.

Working the controls, Hisoler moved the ship into its trajectory path and increased the engines to max. The turbines buzzed loudly as they propelled the shuttle forward. Many of the vulture droids that were following too close to the ship were ignited by the heat of the engines and destroyed. Mathan was hastily pushing at buttons to maintain the forward shields and keep whatever systems they did have working for as long as they could. He looked up and saw the rear of the Separatist cruiser approaching. The padawan looked to his master. The time for their plan was soon near. Gabrall walked over to the astromech droid, "Alright buddy. Soon as we reach the cruiser's engines, light 'em up." He beeped and spun his interface attachment. "Here we go!"

The engines glowed brightly and then exploded in a huge burst of fire and light. The sound of the explosion shook the ship violently. From the _Voluptuous_, Foontrick could see the fire and debris from the explosion. He opened his large mouth and the thunderous roar of laughter emanating from the fat slug filled the entire deck. "That was too easy! I would think the Republic would send us more of a challenge! Send a report to Boz Elysa. Tell her . . . the party was rather boring," He turned his still laughing body and slithered his way into the halls to enjoy some rest.

Amidst the explosion, what was left of _Halbert_ was sent hurdling towards Ilo's surface. The lights in cockpit were flashing red and the emergency siren was blasting from every speaker. Hisoler was struggling with the controls as the ship spun wildly. Outside, the hull began to glow red as it entered the atmosphere. The clones in the back could hear screech of metal tearing off the sides of the ship. The gauges in the cockpit were reading off the scale and cracking from the intense pressure. Mathan raised his arm to protect his face from the flying glass. He yelled to Gabrall, "The shields are almost done for! I don't think the ship is going to hold!" The silvery, red grass of Ilo's surface was now filling the view window and was growing closer with every second. "Master! We have to do something!"

"I already am," barked Gabrall. His eyes were closed and his arms were extended with his palms open. The Jedi master was using all his concentration to keep the ship together with the Force. "You can chime in anytime my padawan."

"Oops. Sorry, Master." Mathan closed his eyes and joined his fists over his chest. He began to breathe deeply and concentrate on the Force. Hisoler's arms grew tired from the fight with the ship's controls. The clone was sweating heavily and was ready to collapse. He looked up for asplit second and saw the ground within feet of the cockpit. "Whatever you guys are trying to do, do it now!" The captain yelled as a realized a crash was imminent. Another small explosion sounded from the rear of the ship and the ship jolted forward. Then all went quiet.

Hisoler lowered his hand from his face and saw the ground before him. A strange wind blew through the cockpit. It seemed as if all time had stopped. He looked to the Jedi. They were still where they were with their faces as calm as stone, maintaining their focus on the ship. By the grace of the Force, the two Jedi had stopped the ship with the Force within inches of the ground. He let out a big sigh of relief said to the Jedi, "We made it."

Mathan opened his eyes and broke his concentration. The sound of metal bending echoed through the ship. With a loud thud, the entire ship dropped onto the ground below them. All the clone troopers in the back fell forward out of their chairs and were knocked onto the floor. Gabrall toppled back into the blast doors and let out a loud shout as his head banged against the metal. He quickly got back up and put his hand to the back of his head. He laughed a nervous laugh as he looked out into the fields now before them. "Well that was fun. Whose up for another ride?" Mathan and Hisoler looked to each other and then banged their head into the console. Both began to laugh nervously.

A few miles from the where the _Halbert_ had landed, the city of Dastra burned as the droid forces raided the city. The sapphire buildings were blackened by the smoke and ash rising into the air. The Hall of Inspiration was surrounded by tanks on all sides, and its crystal gardens lay shattered on the ground. The droid commander stood in the center ordering the troops to safeguard their positions. Another droid came up to the commander and spoke, "Sir, isn't there something wrong here?"

"What are you talking about soldier?" asked the commander.

"Well shouldn't there be people running around screaming or something. Aren't we supposed to be shooting at things?" The commander looked up and around at the streets. He lowered his head and hunched over. "Oh man. That's not good." He reached over to his side and brought up a communicator. "Uh, Mistress, I have some news to report. It seems that the entire city has been evacuated. There's no one here." The voice over communicator was so loud it could be barely made out by the droids.

The other droid looked to the commander. "What did she say?" he asked. "I don't know, but did you hear the sound of her voice. We better find those people or else the Mistress is going to blow up this entire planet with us still on it. Send out scouter droids into all directions away from the city. They have to be here somewhere."


End file.
